Going on a group trip alone? Here's what it's really like

Every week someone messages us some version of this: "I really want to come, but I don't know anyone going. Is that weird?"

It isn't weird. It's normal. On our youth trips, most people book on their own. Some come because their friends couldn't get leave, some because they're done waiting for their friends to make a plan, and some because travelling with strangers is exactly the point.

If you're sitting on the fence, this is everything I'd tell you over coffee.

What actually happens

Before the trip, you're added to the group's WhatsApp. People start chatting, sharing outfit plans and asking each other what to pack. By the time you land, you already know a few names and faces.

Day one is the awkward part, and it lasts about four hours. Then someone suggests karaoke, or the group gets lost together on the way to dinner, and it's over. By day three people are finishing each other's sentences. By the last night, someone always cries at dinner.

Nobody remembers that they came alone. They remember who they met.

Choosing your first trip

If it's your first group trip, a few things make it easier:

• Pick a destination you're genuinely excited about. The group comes together fastest when everyone's thrilled to be there.
• Check the dates against your leave early. Our trips are usually 9 to 11 days, and the best ones fill up months ahead.
• Read exactly what's included. Stays, transfers and the big experiences are booked for you, but flights and some meals usually aren't. Knowing this upfront avoids surprises.
• Ask us anything. How many people have booked, what the age mix looks like, how active the days are. We'd rather you ask than wonder.

The room situation

Rooms on our trips are twin sharing. If you're coming alone, you'll share with another traveller from the group, and if you have a preference or a friend on the trip, just tell us when you register.

People worry about this the most, and it almost always turns out to be the best part. The person you share with is the one you get ready with, debrief every night with, and very often stay friends with long after the trip.

How to make the first two days easy

• Say hi on the WhatsApp group before you fly. Even one message makes walking into the airport easier.
• Say yes to everything on day one and two. The late dinner, the extra stop, the photo. That's when the group forms.
• Sit with someone new at every meal. By day three you'll have spoken to everyone.
• Bring something to share. Snacks from home are an instant icebreaker. Nobody has ever said no to a packet of Haldiram's.
• Keep your phone in your pocket at dinner. The trip is happening at the table.

What to pack for a group trip

On top of the usual, a few things that only matter when you're travelling with 20 other people:

• A power bank. Group photos drain phones fast, and you'll be the hero of the bus.
• An outfit for the themed nights. Groups love a dress code, whether it's all-white for a night out in Tokyo or onesies on the streets of Shibuya. Check the WhatsApp group before you pack.
• A universal adaptor, and ideally one with extra USB ports for your roommate.
• A small day bag for long days out, with water, sunscreen and a layer.
• Earplugs and an eye mask, in case your roommate's schedule isn't yours.

Money in a group

The big things are paid for before you go, but there are always extras: coffees, souvenirs, the dinner that wasn't included, the cocktail that definitely wasn't.

• Set a rough daily budget for extras before you leave, so you're not doing maths on the trip.
• Use a bill-splitting app like Splitwise for shared taxis and meals. It saves a lot of awkward "who owes who" on the last day.
• Carry a forex card and some cash. Not every place takes Indian cards, and splitting cash is easier in a group.

Being a great person to travel with

Group trips work because everyone gives a little. The easiest way to be loved on a trip:

• Be on time. Twenty people waiting for one is the fastest way to lose goodwill. Set two alarms.
• Keep it down on early mornings and late nights. Hotel corridors are shared.
• Include people. If someone's quiet, ask them to come along. You were new too, a few days ago.
• Tell us if something's wrong. Unwell, unhappy with a room, not getting on with someone, anything. It's much easier to fix on day two than to sit with it until day eight.

You can still have time to yourself

Group trip doesn't mean every minute together. There's free time built into every itinerary, and nobody minds if you skip an evening to sleep early, take a café morning alone, or go and find that one shop you saw on Instagram.

And someone from our team is with the group the whole way, sorting out the plan, the bookings and anything that goes wrong, so you never have to worry about logistics on your own.

For women travelling alone

A lot of the women who join us are travelling solo for the first time, and a group is one of the most comfortable ways to do it. You're never on your own at night, there's always someone to walk back with, and there's a team member to call. We also run some trips that are just for women, like our South Korea trip, which have a lovely energy of their own.

If it's your first trip abroad

Plenty of people on our trips are going abroad for the first time, and that's completely fine. We help with what you need for the visa, tell you what to carry, and the WhatsApp group is full of people asking the same questions you are. Make sure your passport has at least six months left on it, keep copies of your documents on your phone, and get a forex card before you fly.

The questions people are too shy to ask

• "What if I'm the oldest, or the youngest?" Ages on our youth trips usually range across 18 to 35, and the gaps disappear by day two. Nobody's checking.
• "What if I don't get on with someone?" In a group of 20 to 25, you don't have to be best friends with everyone. Find your people, and if there's a genuine problem, tell us.
• "I'm an introvert. Will I hate it?" Some of our happiest travellers are introverts. Join in when you want to, take your quiet time when you need it.
• "Can a friend join later?" Often, yes, if there are spots left. Message us.

Who comes on these trips

Our youth trips are usually for 18 to 35s, in groups of 20 to 25. Students, people in their first jobs, founders, doctors, people between jobs. Some have travelled everywhere, some are on their first trip abroad. The common thread is that they want to see somewhere new and come home with stories.

And the trip doesn't really end at the airport. The WhatsApp group keeps going for months, there are reunions, and more than a few people have booked their next trip together.

If you're on the fence, message us on WhatsApp. Ask us anything, including who else is booked so far. And then book it. The worst case is you have an amazing trip. The best case is you meet some of your favourite people.